Alaska opens its first cannabis dispensary

Alaska has opened its first cannabis retail store in front of a crowd of consumers, almost two years after voters approved recreational cannabis for those 21 and older.

More than 250 people lined up outside Herbal Outfitters on Saturday in Valdez, a small town 500 kilometers east of Anchorage, according to dispensary owner Richard Ballow. Customers came from as far away as Anchorage and Fairbanks, almost 600 kilometers north of Valdez.

The opening at high noon marks the first time that the purchase of cannabis is legal, following an initiative passed in November 2014. Approval of this measure made it legal to possess 28 grams of marijuana outside the home.

«This is a historic moment,» says Ballow. «I feel protected and honored to be a part of this.».

The opening of this cannabis dispensary was conditional on the opening of the first cannabis testing laboratory, CannTest, which opened in Anchorage last Monday after clearing all regulatory hurdles. The lab will test cannabis flowers, weed-infused edibles and concentrates.

Herbal Outfitters manager Derek Morris says the store will initially sell only dried cannabis flowers. Manufacturers of cannabis-infused edibles and concentrates are still in the process of obtaining their licenses.

In Fairbanks, two cannabis dispensaries are scheduled to open next week, after final inspections are completed. A third dispensary is scheduled to open in Fairbanks next month.